on the results of this public review, the Authority developed a revised plan 
proposal and issued the final EIS. In December of 1986, the Authority unanimously 
adopted the final plan. 
The 1987 Puget Sound Water Quality Management Plan 
The purpose of this plan is to protect and enhance three resources: the Sound’s 
water and sediment quality; its fish and shellfish; and its wetlands. The plan is 
premised on a long-term goal to prevent any increase in the introduction of 
pollutants to the Sound and its watersheds, and to reduce and ultimately eliminate 
harm from the entry of pollutants to the waters, sediments, and shorelines of 
Puget Sound. This emphasis on prevention recognizes the simple truth that it will 
cost more to clean up pollution later than to prevent it now. Each of the source 
control programs in the plan contains specific goals and actions to prevent 
additional pollution. 
Recognizing that water pollution crosses jurisdictional lines, the plan establishes a 
framework based on a partnership between state and local agencies, each having a 
defined set of responsibilities in different areas. The plan also recognizes and 
includes actions by tribes, the private sector, and citizens, and it relies on the 
federal government to play an important role as well. 
An important emphasis of the plan is effective implementation of existing 
governmental programs, particularly the provision of adequate staff and funding for 
those programs, flie plan prescribes expansion of existing programs and the 
establishment of new programs to address designated problems. It uses existing 
agencies rather than calling for the creation of new ones. 
This plan is comprehensive: it addresses the major sources of water and sediment 
quality degradation and wetland loss; it generally applies to all of the Puget Sound 
basin; and it employs a range of solutions-regulato^, educational, and policy. At 
the same time, it calls for programs targeted to particular geographic locations. 
Special emphasis is given to the control of toxicants discharged into Puget Sound 
by strengthening existing regulation of industrial and municipal discharges. This is 
accomplished through controlling toxicants in permits; adopting sediment quality 
criteria; increasing frequency of inspections (including unannounced inspections); 
aggressively seeking out unpermitted discharges; requiring more complete discharge 
monitoring and use of certified laboratories; and implementing pretreatment 
requirements. Increased discharge permit fees are proposed to fund a significant 
portion of the improvements in the program. 
The generation and spread of contaminated sediments are controlled through the 
programs for stormwater, dredging and disposal, and by regulation of point sources. 
The program for contaminated sediments and dredging includes goals for sediment 
quality and dredging and disposal programs. It requires standards for dredged 
material disposal and a feasibility study of multi-user disposal sites for 
contaminated sediments. And building on a major initiative of the state 
Department of Ecology and EPA, the plan calls for an accelerated program to 
identify and investigate contaminated sediment sites. 
152 
